Couch-hammock.



I. E. PALMER.

COUOH HAMMOOK. APPLIUATION FILED 11.111.1,191o- Patented: 1160.27, 1910'.`

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I. E. PALMER. GOUCH HAMMOOK. APPLIOATION FILED 1m11.1,191o` U1/Lneas es l UNITED STATES PTENT OFFICE.

ISAAC E. PALMER, OF MIDDLETOWN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE I. E. PALMER C0., OF MIDDLETOWN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

COUCH-I-IAMMOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 27, 1910.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ISAAC E. PALMER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Middletown, in the county of Middlesex and State of Connecticut, have invented an Improvement in Couch-Hammocks, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters onthe drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to couch hammocks and particularly to those wherein are employed mattresses supported upon the hammock body or the hammock frame.

In order that the principle of the invention may readily be understood, I have disclosed certain embodiments thereof in the accompanying drawing, wherein- Figure 1 is a plan view of a couch hammock embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is a detail in elevation upon a somewhat enlarged scale of one corner of the said hammock; Fig. 4 is a detail in plan of one corner thereof with parts broken away; Fig. 5 is a detail in vertical section upon the line 5-*5 of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a similar detail upon the line 6-6 of Fig. 1; Fig. 7 is a detail similar to Fig. 5 o-f a slightly modified form of the invention; Fig. 8 is a similar detail of a still further modified form of the invention; Fig. 9 is a side elevation of a further modified form of my invention; Fig. 10 is a det-ail in perspective of one corner of hammock body shown in Fig. 9; Fig. 11 is a detail in end elevation representing a slight modification of the construction shown in Fig. 10; Fig. 12 is a detail similar to Fig.

v11 of a still further modified form of the .mattress cover to the end supports; Fig. 16

is a vertical section of the construction shown in Fig. 15; and Fig. 17 is a detail representing a slightly modified means fol.` connecting the mattress cover to the suspension ends.

The hammock body to which my invention is applied ma be of any suitable type. The hammock bo y may be continuous and may overlie the frame, as shown in my Patents Nos. 574,073 and 901,936, or may underlie the frame as in the Gloucester and other types of hammocks, or, and as shown in certain figures, the supporting ends of the hammock body may be directly `attached to the ends of the frame in any suitable manner.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the frame, which is preferably of skeleton rectangular form, is composed of side members 1 1 and end members 2-2 secured together permanently or detachably. Suitably secured to the frame and preferably to the under side of the end members 2-2 thereof are suspension ends 3, here shown as having pockets 4 and supporting strips 5 therein secured by screws or otherwise to the frame. The suspension ends 3 may be provided with clue cords or other suitable means to be attached to an overhead support. The frame is provided with a suitable seating which may be of wire, rope, fabric or other suitable material. It is here shown as of cloth 6 having longitudinal and transverse pockets within which are suporting strips 7 overlying and adapted to be secured to the side and end members of the frame. If desired, the frame may be provided with upstanding corner brackets 8, which, however, may be omitted while still securing well defined corners of the completed hammock, as will beset forth hereinafter. The corner brackets, if employed, may be of the general type illustrated in my Patent No. 944,814. From Fig. 2, I have indicated the omission of one of said brackets.

The mattress employed in this type of hammock may be of any suitable nature. In Fig. 5, I have represented the mattress at 9 as of considerable thickness and having well defined upstanding longitudinal and transverse edges providing well defined upstanding corners. This mattress is preferably and is represented as distinct from the seating 6, but as resting thereon. Overlying the mattress 9 is a mattress cover 10 shown in Fig. 3 as having sides 11 depending from the body 10 thereof that overlies the mattress and preferably as of sufficient length to conceal or even extend below the frame. If desired, valance strips may be secured to or formed with the sides of the cover 10 and may overlie the sides 11, in which event said sides 11 may be of cheaper material. It is not necessary that the sides 11 be integral with the body 10 of the cover. They may be secured thereto. The ends of this mattress cover may be attached or unattached to the suspension ends 3. In Fig. 3, I have shown said cover as unattached thereto transversely of said cover. If, on the other hand, the cover be attached to the suspension ends 3, it may be permanently attached by sewing or otherwise as indicated at 12 in Fig. 7, or it may be detachably secured, as will be described hereinafter.

Preferably the mattress cover is detachably secured to the suspension ends 3 or other part of the hammock body or frame, so as to permit the said cover to be removed and reversed or to be washed after both faces thereof have become soiled, and it may be adjustable with reference thereto if desired.

In my Patent No. 944,814, I have described means for providing well defined corners, and to that end have provided corner brackets. Corner brackets, such as shown in said patent, are important when the hammock is of a type having upstanding sides, as shown in said patent. If, however, the hammock be not provided with upstanding sides, but is provided with depending sides furnished by the lateral edges of the mattress cover, it is unnecessary to employ said corner brackets,

inasmuch as the well defined corners may be provided simply by attaching the ends of the depending edges of said mattress cover to the suspension ends 3, as illustrated at the right hand end of Fig. 3. I may, of course, in conjunction with the said depending edges of the mattress cover employ cover brackets. While preferably I provide the said well defined corners by attaching the ends of the depending edges of the mattress cover to the suspension ends 3, it is apparent that the object of my invention may be secured by at* taching the end portions of said depending edges against displacement with respect to said suspension ends. This may in some cases be effected by attaching said edges to the frame rather than to the suspension ends, or the said edges may be connected to both parts, or as hereinafter described to depending ends of the cover itself.

The mattress cover with depending edges has distinct advantages not inherent in couch hammocks of the Gloucester or other type having upstanding edges. In hainmocks constructed in accordance with my present invention; that is to say, with mattress covers having depending edges the said lateral edges naturally depend in straight lines. In the Gloucester type of hammock it is necessary to pull the upstanding edges taut at the hammock corners to prevent sagging of the edges, and hence there is strain from end to end upon said upstanding edges, so that there is a tendency of the ends of said edges to draw in at the corners and even to displace the suspension ends. In the ham` mock constructed in accordance with the present invention, there is no tendency of the depending edges to pull away from the hammock ends, as there is no substantial strain upon said edges.

Whether or not the mattress cover 10 be attached to the suspension ends 3 transversely thereof and particularly if it be not so attached, I preferably attach the ends of the depending' edges 11 of the mattress cover 10 to the suspension ends 3, as, for example, by means of lacing 13 engaging gromets 14 in said cover and suspension ends. In certain forms of my invention, however, the ends of said edges 11 of the mattress need not be attached to the said suspension ends 3. The suspension ends 3 are sustained in a vertical or substantially vertical position, because of the weight of the hammock, and hence by merely attaching the ends of the depending edges 11 of the mattress cover to the said suspension ends 3, well defined, substantially rectangular corners are provided. It will be observed, viewing Figs. 2, 3 and 15, that the suspension ends and the depending strip or edge portion of themattress cover, meet at a substantially right angle, and also that the vertical or substantially vertical line of the edge of each suspension end is substantially co-incident with the vertical edge at the adjacent end of the depending edge portion of the mattress cover. This insures a square corner and enhances the appearance of the hammock. The mattress and the corner brackets if employed, are concealed by reason of this meeting of the suspension ends and depending edges of the mattress cover. The suspension ends are thin when viewed edgewise, and it is important, as shown in Fig. 2, that the ends of the depending edges of the mattress cover should not extend longitudinally beyond the same, but should be substantially co-incident therewith. By securing the mattress cover to and transversely of the suspension ends, it is possible to remove the mattress or to shift the same without removing said cover. Owing to the fact that the suspension ends are suspended and may be separated to a greater or less extent with respect to each other, by moving the points of support nearer to or farther from each other, it is apparent that the mattress cover, because it is transversely attached to said suspension ends, may be tightened longitudinally and so caused to lie smooth, by moving said.

one or both ends, be provided with a spreaderV 15 in a pocket 16, and the mattress at its esencia versely thereof.

The mattress cover 10 may be provided not only With depending sides 11 but with depending ends, such as indicated at 18 in Fig. 10, in which case the adjacent edges of said depending portions 11 and 18 may be attached together by lacing or otherwise, as indicated at 19 in Fig. 10, instead of attaching said depending portions 11 to the suspension ends 3, this giving a box like cover effect to the mattress cover 10 and providing Well defined corners. In the construction shown in Fig. 10, the mattress 9V rests upon the seating of the frame and the depending edges of the mattress cover may wholly or partially conceal the frame. Preferably the lateral edges 11 of the mattress cover extend below the depending ends 18.

If desired, the depending ends 18 of the mattress cover 10 may be secured in lposition by attaching them to the end membersy of the frame, as, for instance, as shown in Fig. 11, by means of eyes 20 engaging screw heads 21 or other suitable projections from the frame. If desired, the ends of the mattress cover may be of less vertical extent as indicated in Fig. 12 and may be connected to the frame by means of lacing 22 engaging gromets 23 in said ends and screw eyes 24 in the frame, or said ends 18 may terminate at substantially the upper face of the mattress.

The hammock embodying my invention may be provided with a wind shield or back rest 25 of any suitable type and here shown as connected by gromets and lacing 26 to the suspension ends 3.

Preferably I provide means for securing the mattress in position. To this end, I may attach the mattress detachably or otherwise to any desired part of the couch hammock. Preferably, however, I attach the mattress to thecorner brackets if the latter be provided. In Fig. 13, I have shown the mattress as provided with lacing 27 passing around and secured to the corner brackets 8. In Fig. 14, I have shown a frame as provided With upright corner pins 28, about `which tapes 29 secured to the mattress may be passed. In this manner, the mattress is yieldingly, detachably and adjustably secured in position.

In Figs. 15 and 16, I have shown the mattress as of considerably less thickness and asvnot having Well defined ends. I, however, provide the mattress cover 10 with the depending sides which may or may not be secured by gromets and lacing at the ends thereof to the suspension ends 3. The mattress cover itself is, however, secured to the suspension ends 3 transversely thereof by means of lacing 3() passing through gromets 31. It is apparent that the means for detachably securing the cover l() to the suspension ends shown in Fig. 15, may be employed in connection with any style or shape of mattress.

It is apparent that the mattress cover may be of the same material as the mattress body and hammock body or may contrast therewith in color or texture. It is apparent that the cover may, in certain types of the invention, be readily reversed and removed, and that the depending lateral edges provide, as it were, a hammock of an inverted Gloucester type. That is to say, the lateral edges of the hammock are depending rather than upstanding, and because of this construction I may readily provide square corners without the employment of corner brackets and may add to the ornamental effect of the hammock by the character of lacing o1' other securing means employed at the corners. Ireferably, the depending sides cX- tend but little, if at all, below the hammock frame, though they may serve as Valances and be provided with fringe or Valances may overlie them.

In Fig. 17 I have represented a slightly modified form of means for attaching the mattress cover to the suspension ends of the hammock, said means consisting preferably of a rod or strip 32 of wood or other suitable material positioned outside of the adjacent. suspension end 3 and connected to the mattress cover 10, as by means of lacing 33 or the like. The lacing may be tightened sufficiently to draw the strips 32 against the suspension ends and the mattress cover 10 may thus be adjusted vertically with respect to said ends and be held from lateral and longitudinal displacement with respect thereto.

Having thus described one illustrative embodiment of my invention, I desire it to be understood that although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.

l. A couch hammock comprising in combination a frame, suspension ends therefor adjustable toward and from each other, a mattress overlying said frame, and a mattress cover overlying said mattress and distinct from but connected to said suspension ends transversely of the latter and provided with depending lateral edge portions whose ends terminate substantially in the plane of support of said suspension ends.

2. A couch hammock comprising in combination a frame, angularly adjustable suspension ends therefor, a mattress cover overlying said mattress and provided with depending lateral edge portions, and lacing extending transversely of said suspension ends and adjustably connecting said mattress cover thereto, the ends of said lateral edge portion terminating in proximity to the plane of support of said suspension ends and forming therewith well defined rectangular corners.

3. A couch hammock comprising in combination a frame, suspension ends therefor, a mattress overlying said frame, a mattress cover overlying said mattress and Vhaving depending lateral edge portions, and means extending transversely of said suspension ends for detachably connecting the ends of the mattress cover to said suspension ends, whereby said mattress cover` may partake of adjusting movements of said suspension ends.

il. A couch hammock comprising in combination a frame, suspension ends therefor, a mattress overlying said frame, and a mattress cover overlying said mattress and distinct from said suspension ends, said mattress cover having a transversely extending end spreader.

5. A couch hammock comprisingin combination a frame, suspension ends therefor, a mattress overlying said frame, a mattress cover overlying said mattress and having a depending lateral edge, and means to attach the ends of said depending lateral edge to the said suspension ends.

6. A couch hammock comprising in combination a frame, suspension ends therefor.

a mattress overlying said` frame, a mattress cover overlying said mattress and having depending lateral edges and detachable connections between the ends of said depending edges and the suspension ends.

7. A couch hammock comprising in combination a frame, susp-ension Aends therefor, a mattress overlying the frame, a mattress cover overlying the mattress and having 0pposite, short, depending lateral sides extending to substantially the bottom face and concealing said frame, and means to secure the ends of said depending sides at substantially their lower edges, to the said suspension ends.

8. A couch hammock comprising in combination a frame having upstanding corner brackets, suspension ends for said frame, a mattress overlying said frame, and means to secure said mattress to said corner brackets.

9. A couch hammock comprising in combination a frame, a seating secured thereto, separate suspension ends angularly adjustable with respect to each other, a mattress overlying said seating and a mattress cover overlying said mat-tress and provided with depending sides, and means to secure said cover to said suspension ends, thereby to position the end edges of said depending sides closely adjacent to said suspension ends and at substantially right angles thereto.

l0. A couch hammock comprising in combination a frame, a seating secured thereto, separate suspension ends, a mattress over? lying said seating, and a mattress cover overlying said mattress and provided with depending sides, and means to secure said depending sides to the said suspension ends.

1l. A couch hammock comprising in combination a frame, suspension ends angularly adjustable with respect to each other, a mattress overlying said frame, means to secure said mattress in position thereon, amattress cover overlying said mattress, and means extending transversely of. said suspension ends for attaching said mattress cover thereto, whereby it may partake of adjusting movements of said suspension ends.

12. A couch hammock comprising in combination a frame, suspension ends therefor, a mattress overlying said frame, a mattress cover overlying said mattress and having a depending lateral edge, and means to secure the ends of said depending edge from displacement with respect to said suspension ends.

13. A couch hammock comprising in combination a frame having suspension ends, a mattress overlying said frame, a mattress cover overlying said mattress and having at one end at least thereof a transversely extending spreader, and means adjustably and detachably to connect said mattress cover to said suspension ends, whereby it may partake of adjusting movements thereof.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ISAAC E. PALMER.

Witnesses:

F. E. FowLER, C. M. SAUER. 

